Chapter 376: Crossroads (1)
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How they had arrived was something unknown even to me. It did not seem to have leaked from the Emperor or Grand Chancellor’s side, seeing that even the Palace Lord of Heavenly Worship had been unaware.
Among the numerous immortals, there could easily be those with Clairvoyance, and there could easily be those who could dream prophetic dreams. Just as I possessed the Martial Talent Shop that they could not comprehend, they would have abilities that I could not comprehend.
Therefore, rather than how they gathered, I was more curious about why they gathered.
“Why have you come?”
I asked Hyeon-wol.
“Need I say it? We came because a collision that humans could not endure seemed about to occur. Had you two continued fighting as it was, more than half the people in Zhengzhou would have died.”
“Grandmaster pays attention to such things, it seems.”
“Being an immortal does not mean everyone regards humans as trivial bugs. Of course, they look like separate beings. But think about it. Do not Buddhists walk cautiously to avoid killing even a single ant? We merely continue to cultivate the Dao.”
I flinched at Hyeon-wol’s words. Why had my thoughts not reached that far?
Despite being an immortal, Hyeon-wol had taught me immortal arts. If he could not empathize with people at all like the current me, that would have been impossible.
“It is not your fault. When one first undergoes shedding, anyone experiences such a confusing process. It is an unavoidable occurrence in the course of washing away human five desires and seven emotions. Even I have not yet completely overcome the five desires and seven emotions.”
Hyeon-wol comforted me. I felt it as well: though I was undergoing shedding, human emotions were still thickly smeared across my body.
Yet why was it? The human emotions attached for several decades felt cumbersome instead, while the sensation of transcending emotion felt more familiar and delightful. When it had not been long since purchasing the talent called Transcendence. Was this wandering something one had to experience while the five desires and seven emotions were being washed away, just as Hyeon-wol had said?
“Did the immortals of Immortal Realm also come to stop our fight? Is not the Palace Lord of Heavenly Worship an immortal of Immortal Realm as well?”
“No. They likely came merely to keep watch on what we might do when gathering. As you know, they are not ones to bat an eye if a few humans die.”
Indeed. I had asked just in case, but it was as expected.
“Hey, manage your newcomer properly. A major fight almost broke out for nothing, didn’t it?”
Sure enough, one of the immortals on the Immortal Realm side picked a quarrel. Naturally, the immortals on the martial world side did not remain silent either.
“What would a newcomer know? Your youngest was the one trying to cause trouble.”
“From our perspective, it is a festival. It is only trouble from your perspective.”
“Seeing old mouths babbling after so long is an eyesore as always.”
“I must be at least five years younger than you.”
“To count five years at this age? Truly narrow-minded gentlemen.”
Somehow, the bickering of the immortals was not vastly different from humans in the lower realm. In fact, seeing gentlemen who had transcended something doing so made it appear even more childish. By the way, the Palace Lord of Heavenly Worship seemed to be the youngest there. Since they all looked equally old, it was hard to tell who was the youngest.
“It won’t end like this next time, so watch yourselves.”
“The same to your side.”
The immortals of Immortal Realm and the immortals of the martial world growled at each other and dispersed. I too shifted positions, following the immortals of the martial world.
“They fight childishly.”
I shared my impression with Hyeon-wol. Hyeon-wol let out a wry chuckle as if embarrassed.
“When immortals clash, the aftermath is too great. That is why in most cases, it ends in verbal arguments.”
“Is that so? They are more rational than expected.”
“Originally, when people grow old, everyone becomes cautious with their bodies. Moreover, among immortal arts, there are those that defy nature. Like the Void Flight that little kid of Immortal Realm displayed.”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Nature is always strict with those who defy it. Of course, performing a bit of Void Flight will not bring a fatal backlash, but if it grows larger, the backlash grows proportionately. To the point where even an immortal cannot endure it.”
I had an inkling. Gwan Seo-ye had said that those who grew powerful through formations had defied the heavens and would pay a price.
Immortal arts also defied nature, so they were rooted in defying the heavens, and if immense, a price had to be paid as well.
If immortals fought each other, they would certainly use immortal arts that defied nature, and if that grew large, they would face a situation of mutual destruction.
Seemingly loose, yet missing nothing. Truly worthy of being called the net of Heaven is vast, coarse yet losing nothing.
The immortals of the martial world also dispersed individually once the Immortal Realm side scattered, but they merely looked at each other without speaking particularly. They simply exchanged glances and dispersed as if reaching some consensus.
In the end, the only one remaining beside me was my Grandmaster, Hyeon-wol.
“Is everyone performing silent cultivation?”
“Speech is fundamentally an imperfect means of transmission. Because its meaning can be distorted. In fact, do not misunderstandings often arise when exchanging words solely through letters? If places of living differ, words might not communicate at all.”
“That is true. That is why facial expressions, gestures, and complexions are important.”
“That is why we use Wisdom-Light Mind-Speech, which transmits meaning itself. Would you like to hear it once?”
“Yes.”
For an instant, I felt a jolt. Something flared up like a flame inside my head. The complete image of Mount Wudang, which had been burned away, was vividly imprinted in my mind three-dimensionally.
As if I were surveying Mount Wudang from the sky. On top of that, deep affection for Mount Wudang was felt layered over it. However, that affection was slightly different from the affection I had been feeling.
When I stared blankly at Hyeon-wol, Hyeon-wol was smiling faintly.
“Did you just transmit that?”
“Yes.”
“So the meaning of Wudang that Grandmaster holds is something like this.”
Naturally, the affection Hyeon-wol held for Wudang and the affection I held for Wudang were bound to be different.
Had we shared our affection for Wudang in words, I certainly would not have understood Hyeon-wol fully. However, Wisdom-Light Mind-Speech was showing me in a way that allowed me to completely understand Hyeon-wol’s affection. It was truly a wondrous thing.
“It is an astonishing experience. Words are truly an imperfect medium.”
“Indeed so.”
Hyeon-wol soon returned to a serious expression.
“However, as such things accumulate, you become distant from humans. Because human beauty lies in imperfection.”
Those words struck deep into my heart. I continued to feel it: that I was deviating from being human.
“Until now, I thought advancing toward perfection was good. That is why I aimed for perfection when formulating plans, striving to eliminate failure as much as possible. Was that wrong?”
“It is not wrong. It merely depends on your choice. Imperfection is not evil, nor is perfection good. It is said that beasts with horns have no sharp teeth. Is it not the principle of nature that a beast with horns has no teeth?”
“However, is it not because Grandmaster pursued perfection that you were reborn as an immortal?”
“That was so. But even I am slightly confused now. I do not quite know what I desire.”
Hyeon-wol said.
“That is why I feel I can serve as a guide to you right now. What do you wish to become? That is what is most important.”
Hyeon-wol’s gaze pierced toward me. That gaze seemed to bind me completely.
“……I do not know.”
“What does not knowing mean? You will not be completely ignorant. Up to where do you know, and from where do you not know?”
Hyeon-wol continued to question. From that point on was a realm I had never contemplated until now. Thus, I had no choice but to answer while feeling my way through myself.
“Until now, protecting the people I love was my priority. However, as Grandmaster also said, I am gradually deviating from the existence known as human. It is because I love them that I wish to protect them, yet to protect them, I must transcend humanity and obtain that power. But then, I will end up no longer loving them. Therefore, I do not know how I should act from here.”
“I see. Truly a difficult question.”
“That is why I wish to ask Grandmaster: how were you able to teach me something even after entering the ranks of immortals?”
Hyeon-wol laughed heartily.
“That is because I bestow love upon you. It is unconditional. Can humans not grant love to other living beings as well? Be it a cat or a tree.”
“It is not love as equal beings.”
“And to speak honestly, I regret that. Do you not feel it as well? Knowing the secrets of humans and transcending is far less entertaining than expected. Unexpectedly, ignorance is often bliss in this world.”
I quietly chewed over Hyeon-wol’s words. And I was able to reach a single conclusion.
“While loving them, I was also seeking love from them. That was why I was deliberating.”
“As expected, you are quick-witted. I do not seek love from you, but you seek love from them. Therefore, the reason you hesitate is not that you cannot give love, but because you think you might not receive it. That is not wrong; it is exceedingly human.”
Hyeon-wol continued speaking.
“Let me say it once more: craving love is not weakness. You certainly lived a life devoid of love in your childhood, and accordingly became such a person. That is no one’s fault. In the first place, being satisfied merely by giving love is the realm of a saint.”
Hyeon-wol’s words were correct. Looking back now, there were not many periods in my life where love existed.
My mother passed away early, and I was estranged from my father for a long time. Even when working as a merchant in my previous life, I was crazy about work and had no woman by my side.
Only upon arriving in this life did I finally come to feel what love was, yet sorrowfully, I had come to a situation where I had to discard it before even feeling it for long. It was not strange for me to hesitate.
“Then what should I do?”
“You already know. Do not ask me of your own heart.”
I had forgotten for a moment, but Hyeon-wol was an immortal. Just as I could see through people’s lies, Hyeon-wol was the same. Perhaps because I had done something transparent, my face felt slightly warm.
“I shall meet the people I love. And I must decide: whether I can be satisfied with bestowing love.”
“Do so.”
Hyeon-wol nodded as if satisfied.
I felt it: that I was standing at an irreversible crossroads.
Right now, human emotions remained faintly within me. Just as I had saved the Grand Chancellor.
If I were to advance further from here, I would certainly discard the people with whom I had formed ties until now.
The people to meet naturally came to mind. Those with whom I had formed ties. Among them, those whom I could say I loved.
Only after meeting them did it seem my attitude would be clearly established.